I break away from Cato, confused at the sight in front of me.
"Finnick?" I almost whisper.
Confusion rises up inside of me and turns into anger. First we're putting on an act, then we're running for our lives, and now we're on a train going to District Four.
"What the hell is going on?" My voice increasing with sternness "Did you all plan this or something? Did you know this was going to happen? Why did no one tell me?"
Everyone is staring blankly at me, except for Finnick who has a smirk on his face. I want to slap it off of him.
"Someone answer me!" I screech.
Cato puts his arms around me in an attempt to calm me down, but it only makes me angrier. I shove him off of me. The faint sound of the train and Effie's weeping are the only noises heard. I get ready to scream again but Finnick cuts me off.
"Yes, we figured something like this would happen. Cato and I spoke and planned out how we would get everyone away. We couldn't tell you something was up because you'd act unnatural, well, even more unnatural."
I feel the blood drying on the back of my heel and foot and violently take off my shoes and throw them against the wall. I don't understand how they can think so little of me. I'm not a child. I could have handled this. I won the Games just like they did, they are no better me. I glance over at Haymitch cradling Effie, who let out a yelp when I threw my shoes.
"It was for your own good," Cato mumbles.
"How the hell do you know what's good for me? You don't get to make that call!"
I can't stand to be around these liars anymore. I head straight out and into an empty room. If there were real doors on this train, I would have slammed them. The thoughts of being surrounded by traitors slow down in my mind. The haze of anger lifts and I'm able to think more clearly. Although, that comes to be not such a good thing. Images of my mother and Prim and Gale being kidnapped and tortured flash through my mind like a slowly moving film. My palms begin to sweat, my breaths become rapid, and my knees begin to shake. I can hardly make it out the door. I force myself to stand strong and find the others.
"What about my mother and Prim," I say with extreme urgency.
"Don't worry, they wont hurt them. That would cause too much attention," Haymitch responds in a soothing tone.
Haymitch knows how to handle me better than he thinks. I guess it's because we've been around each other so much the past couple years. He's learned me, memorized my emotions and what reactions he should have. I slump down on the couch and try to think about what District Four will be like. Before I know it I'm being coaxed out of my daze by Cato.
"We're here."
I take his hand and he gently pulls me up and to my feet. The instant the doors hiss open the foreign smell of salt water and seafood seep into my nostrils. The sun is blaring down so fiercely that I feel my pale skin burn almost instantly. I can hardly see through the rays of light. I grab Cato's hand tightly and let him lead me. I'm too mentally exhausted to try to be independent. Finnick brings us to a shack on the beach make out of what looks to be drift wood. I haven't been paying much attention to my surroundings, mostly because I can hardly see. District Twelve is so bleak compared to this place.
"I thought this was a rich District?" Cato lets slip out of his mouth.
Finnick, being the nonchalant man that he is, simply says,
"If you want to find another District to hide from Snow in, be my guest."
My eyes finally adjust to the harsh light and I am able to look around. In front of us is a vast crystal blue ocean, the color of Cato's eyes. Behind us are trees that I have never seen before. Some are thick with dark leaves. Some have skinny paneled trucks with long leaves that spew out of the top of it like a fountain, palm trees Effie called them. I had been to District Four before, of course, on the Victory Tour, but I never saw this side of it. It's beautiful. Inside the shack I see that it's much bigger than it looks from the outside. There is a bedroom on either side of the rectangular hut. In the middle is a kitchen and a sitting area. Living in the Seam, I've definitely see worse.
"My girlfriend, Annie, will bring clothes by for Katniss and Effie. I have some for the men to wear."
I hadn't thought about Effie much during all of this. I know she is shaken up and scared, though. I don't think Haymitch has taken his arm from around her once. I walk up to her and take her hands in mind. Her makeup is almost all off now, and I don't understand why she even wears any. She is stunning without it.
"It's going to be okay. We will be alright."
She only nods in response, then Haymitch takes her to the bedroom.
"What about food?" Cato asks.
How have I not even thought about that?
"Well, you are all very capable, aside from one," he motions to the bedroom Effie is in with his head, "so I'll give you some tools and tips and I'm sure you can handle it. I'll bring some bread and other things by when I can."
For some reason I assumed Finnick was going to stay with us. Of course he isn't, this is his District, he has a home, and he is not on the run like us. I made a mental note to talk to Haymitch and Cato later about what the plan is. I want to be fully included this time. When Finnick leaves to go get our clothes and tools, Haymitch, Cato, and I sit in silence. Of course, I'm the one to break it.
"What the hell are we gonna do?"
Sure, it's blunt, but we don't have time to be messing around.
"We stay here for a little while, get intel from Finnick, and plan accordingly," Cato states.
"You mean we have no plan?"
"More importantly, we have no alcohol," Haymitch's first words since we got to Four.
I hadn't thought about it until now, but it is quite strange that Haymitch hasn't said anything in a very long time. He's looking very ill.
"Did the running and the train make you sick, Haymitch?" I inquire.
"Sure, that's what did it."
I don't understand what that means, but he's sounding angry, so I let it go. Cato and I walk outside to watch the sun set over the sea.
"You know, if these weren't such horrible circumstances, this would be pretty romantic."
Without saying a word, I gently kiss him. He's right, this would be romantic. The way the oranges and yellow, and reds reflect off of the water make it look almost like a painting. I can't believe I am standing here right now. I haven't had much time to go over the recent events that have occurred, and sitting here with Cato doesn't seem like the time or place to do it. So I push them farther back into my mind and focus of the magnificent sight in front of me.
When the sun finally falls out of the sky, Finnick returns. I am so anxious to put on normal clothes I snatch them out of his hands and run to the bedroom. When I return I see Cato and Haymitch inspecting the tools on the table. I pretty much figured that Cato would do most of the hunting, but something catches my eye. It can't be. It is!
"Finnick you got me a bow?" I say excitedly.
"I don't think you all would stand a chance out here if you didn't have one," he said through his usual smirk.
Impulsively I hug him. Even though it was only for a second, I notice Cato glaring at him. To keep Cato from doing or saying something dumb I walk over to him and kiss his check. That seems to settle him down. In his hands he holds a spear, feeling it out. Rolling it over and over in his palms. I'm glad Cato could have his weapon. It's been so long since he's thrown one, he probably misses it very much. I'm not sure what Haymitch's weapon of choice is, but I find out pretty fast. I look to my other side, expecting him to be there, but he's not. I hear small thuds outside and quietly peek through the window. To my surprise, Haymitch is out there throwing knives at a nearby tree. Guess I know what his weapon is.
The rest of the night goes by slowly. I spend a great deal of it worrying about Prim and how I am going to get in touch with my mother to tell her what's going on. Later, we try and kill some food, but all of us are much too exhausted. We end up just eating the bread that Finnick brought for us, leaving some for Effie, who is still asleep. Cato and I retreat to the bedroom soon after getting full.
"What do you think is going to happen to us?" I ask worriedly.
"I'm not sure, but as long as we're together it will be okay."
And with that, I close my eyes and endure a painfully restless nights sleep.
I didn't make y'all wait too long this time! I know the last part of the last chapter confused some of you, but I hope this cleared it up. Honestly, I'm not quite sure where this story is going. I kind of fell in love with this idea of Cato and Finnick being friends though. So, if I don't post for awhile it's probably because I'm figuring out where I want to take this story. Suggestions are more than welcome! Review your little hearts out, lovelies!